


tangled christmas lights

by Marishna



Series: Advent Calendar 2016 [15]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Lights, Christmas Tree, Derek Feels, Derek's Loft, Established Relationship, Late Night Conversations, M/M, POV Stiles, Sappy, The Hale Fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 04:44:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8876512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marishna/pseuds/Marishna
Summary: Stiles awoke in the middle of the night because he was freezing.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Advent Calendar Day 15! The end is in sight!

Stiles awoke in the middle of the night because he was freezing. It took him a full minute to process that because when he stayed the night at the loft Derek radiated heat and kept him warm. Stiles rolled over in bed and brushed his hand over the cold, empty side where Derek should have been.

He stumbled out of bed, wrapping a spare blanket around his shoulders as he went in search of Derek. The Christmas tree lights were on, casting an eerie yet beautiful glow across the industrial space. Stiles saw Derek’s legs first and trailed his eyes up his strong, beautiful body until it disappeared under the tree. 

Stiles crawled under the tree on the other side and lay on his back beside Derek who was silently staring up through the branches at the lights.

“You okay?” Stiles asked quietly.

“Yeah,” Derek replied shortly. Stiles waited him out, able to understand Derek’s different moods so much easier after months of dating. 

“When Laura and I were kids we’d do this. Sneak down to the living room, shove the gifts out of the way and stare at the lights. We went through a rough patch for a few years where we fought all the time because we were full of hormones and dealing with being werewolves and stupid kids but this was off limits to that.”

Derek’s soft voice filled the silence in the loft and Stiles could too-easily picture a gawky, awkward pre-teen Derek and his older sister thinking their werewolf parents didn’t know exactly what they were doing but let them because it was literal peace on earth for them for a brief moment in time.

“After the fire we didn’t do this again. We never really celebrated Christmas when we were in New York and then…” he trailed off but it didn’t feel painful, just honest and frank. “I realized it’s been over five years since Laura died. I couldn’t sleep and the tree reminds me a lot of the one we used to have at home.”

“You don’t have to explain it to me,” Stiles assured him but Derek reached out and took Stiles’ hand. Stiles laced their fingers together and held on tight.

“I want to, though,” Derek replied. “These are things people should know anyway.”

“Then I’ll listen,” Stiles said simply. “Anything you want to tell me about them, I’ll know it.”

Derek would tell him, eventually. But that night, until the sun came up, they just stared at the lights.


End file.
